No wings for Hamilton as Red Bull close the door on end-of-season switch from McLaren

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has effectively written off Lewis Hamilton's chances of joining his team.

Hamilton has been consistently linked with Red Bull of late, in particular since the 26-year-old visited Horner on the Saturday after qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix last month.

Although it has since been denied Hamilton sounded out Horner regarding a possible move, that has not stopped speculation from continuing over the past few weeks.

Ear we go: Lewis Hamilton has been heavily linked with a move away from McLaren

The pot was stirred a couple of days ago when it came to light that Hamilton has a get-out clause in his contract with McLaren allowing him to leave a year early.

That means he could potentially be in a new team next season if he feels McLaren are unable to give him the competitive car he craves.

However, his chances of partnering current world champion Sebastian Vettel, who earlier this year signed a long-term deal to the end of 2014, appear to have now receded significantly in light of Horner's latest remarks.

Speaking at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes, Horner said: 'On paper a Vettel-Hamilton line-up would be hugely attractive. But you have to look at the reality, at how these things work, and history dictates that two world-class drivers in the same team has not always been the best pairing.

I wanna be in your gang: Red Bulls' almost total domination of McLaren has left Hamilton frustrated

'You only have to think of Senna-Prost, Piquet-Mansell, or even Alonso and Hamilton. We are hugely happy to have Sebastian committed to the team long term, and with Mark (Webber), we're very pleased with the job he is doing. Our focus at present is on those two drivers rather than looking to change anything.'

The bottom line is that Horner does not believe Vettel and Hamilton could work together.

'At the end of the day it's about winning. It's not solely down to Red Bull to provide the entertainment. We do enough of that,' added Horner.

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'If you look at any great team, be it with a football team, hockey team, across the disciplines, it's about the unit working as such, and not about individuals.

'What we've managed to achieve here, and what's hugely important, is that no individual is bigger than the team. I think it would be difficult to envisage a driver of Sebastian's calibre and that of Lewis under the same roof.

'Lewis is a wonderful driver, and you can understand why he might want to drive a Red Bull. It's obvious. But would it be the best thing for us? We have severe reservations it would be.'

Understandably, Horner admits he could not be any happier with 23- year-old Vettel, who has racked up 16 wins and 23 poles from his 70 grands prix, compared to 15 wins and 18 poles from 79 races for Hamilton.

'In a shorter career he has already won more races than Lewis, had more pole positions and won the same amount of championships,' said Horner. 'We are absolutely delighted to have Sebastian. There is no driver in the paddock I would rather have on a long-term contract than Sebastian Vettel.'

It still leaves a question mark as to the future of Webber, who is out of contract at the end of the year, and who has yet to start a conversation regarding a new deal for next season.

Horner has no doubts the 34-year-old Australian can handle all the talk surrounding a potential move for Hamilton.

Eyes on the prize: Sebastian Vettel has already enjoyed more success than Hamilton in a shorter space of time

'He's been around long enough to know to ignore it,' said Horner. 'I believe he is comfortable in the team and if he had any concerns then I'm sure he'd ask me.

'We both agreed we'd sit down in the summer, and the key thing for both sides is that he has the motivation, desire and performance to continue.

'He is effectively demonstrating all of those at the moment, and so once we get a bit later into the summer, we will sit down and have what is usually a pretty straightforward conversation.

'There is no pressing need to do it at the moment. We're in a fortunate position where we don't need to rush.'